BA

September - October 2019

BIBLE ADVOCATE®

Teach and Obey

Great Commission - Part 5
 Inside

2019: Resurrection Commission

ARTICLES
t
4 A Call to Obedience | John Klassek
8 Why Holiness? | Marcellus George
10 Taking Jesus to Jail | Elaine Schulte
12 Empowered Witnesses | JP Robinson
14 The Gospel’s Proper Order | Caitlin Meadows
16 A Friend to Jesus | Jody McCoy
18 Moving Beyond Information | Amber Mann Riggs
20 A Beautiful Witness | Israel Steinmetz
24 God and My Money | Betts Baker

Scripture quotations
Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.

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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
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3 First Word — The Great Omission
permission. All rights reserved.

7 Foreign Fields — On Mission . . . In Scripture verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright
© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Central America
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®,
NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights
11 Questions & Answers reserved worldwide.

King James Version (KJV) Public Domain.

17 Poetry — Elaine Wilburt

30 Foreign Fields
31 Last Word — Knowing or Doing?

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 First Word

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Bible Advocate®

The Great Omission

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H
ave you taken an Artios class yet? I have, and each time I do, I
benefit from the experience. Artios, Publications, and Missions
are a few ways that the Church of God seeks to be faithful to the
goal of the Great Commission: discipleship. Jesus doesn’t leave us to
guess what this means. Going and baptizing lead to “teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20a, NIV).
The mission is not just reaching and teaching people about Jesus,
but reaching and teaching people to obey Jesus. Often this is set aside
for an easier goal; worse, it is unknown altogether. A startling 2018
Barna survey reports that 51 percent of churchgoers have never heard
of the Great Commission; 25 percent say it sounds familiar, but they
don’t know what it is. A meager 17 percent of churchgoers can iden-
tify the term. Surely this sample is not representative of us. Is it?
Stats like these reveal the anemic condition of many churchgoers
and their teachers. Evangelism is often limited to baptism following a
confession of Jesus as our personal Savior. As important as that step is,
it’s not the commission Jesus left us, and the real goal of obeying Jesus
as our personal Lord is unreached.
This failure has been recognized. In The Spirit of the Disciplines,
Dallas Willard charges that Christianity drifted from Jesus’ actual plan
and substituted it with “Make converts . . . and baptize them into
church membership.” Willard says that this resulted in “two great
omissions” in our churches: “enrolling people as Christ’s students”
and “training . . . them . . . to do what Jesus directed.” The omission of
genuine discipleship produces feeble faith and Christians unaware of
both commission and commands.
This has me wondering if I am guilty of a great omission. Does my
congregation know what the Great Commission is? And am I guilty of
gutting Jesus’ plan, more concerned with filling pews than in enrolling
and training students for Christ, who will learn His
commandments and obey them?
Do you see a great omission where the Great
Commission should be? Drop me an email and
share your thoughts. And if you haven’t already, en-
roll in an Artios class. You’ll be glad you did.
— Jason Overman

September - October 2019 • 3
 [Exhortation]
A Call to Obedience
The heart of discipleship and
the Great Commission.
by John Klassek
I
s it possible to experience
a church environment with
singing, reading Scripture,
preaching, and celebrating every
Sabbath, without fully experienc-
ing the lordship of Jesus Christ?
“Really?” you say. “How could
you not know the Lord Jesus?”
Jesus on the sidelines isn’t
so far-fetched! Did you know
that happened in the first cen-
tury? The church community in
Laodicea (what is Turkey today),
recorded in Revelation 3, ex-
cluded Jesus from church life.
He wasn’t among them; He
was outside, calling and knock-
ing on the door of the church,
4 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
appealing to those inside (vv. 14-
22). Oblivious to Jesus, the
Laodicean church continued to
exult their religious rites. “We’re
rich; we have need of nothing,”
they chorused.
Jesus thought otherwise.
His chastening words to the
Laodicean believers serve as a
powerful reminder for all who
are listening. They are also a
caution for those of us in this
era. “He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the
churches” (v. 22).
Today, Laodicea has become
somewhat of a byword for a
church culture without the lord-
ship of Christ. The risk of com-
placent and misaligned religiosity
is as real today as it was then if
we’re not listening to the prompt-
ings of the Holy Spirit.
My story
A personal testimony may
help illustrate this. For the bet-
ter part of thirty years, I too
warmed a church pew every
Sabbath. Although purporting a
reasonable familiarity with the
Scriptures, I never really ventured
any closer to personally know-
ing Jesus, the Lord of Scripture,
with a deep, abiding relationship.
I never comprehended His pre-
eminence.
Of course, I had read about
Jesus explaining that those very
Scriptures were about Him (John
5:39, 40; Luke 24:27), but I
didn’t relate to His call to fellow-
ship, obedience, and discipleship
— that is, until adversity struck.
As I lay in a hospital bed
with C4 osteomyelitis (a bone
infection in the neck vertebrae),
decades of disempowerment in
my faith added to deep bewilder-
ment. In the months of recovery
that followed, questions I had
asked as a nine-year-old boy re-
surfaced and became clearer.
“How come,” I ventured so
many years earlier, “the apostle
Paul seemed to preach only
about Christ, when the church
doesn’t?” It was a telling ques-
tion, and one that should weigh
on our hearts today as it did
mine while I attended another
church.
For the answer, let’s go back
in history and explore where a
similar situation existed at the
center of Paul’s story.
Paul’s story
The apostle Paul grew up
in the midst of religious life in
Jerusalem. He was trained by
Gamaliel, one of the brightest
and most reasonable minds in
Judaism. As a young man, how-
ever, Paul took his fervent under-
standing of Scripture and obedi-
ence to Judaism to new heights.
He despised the new Christian
movement, and, in loathing
Jesus, Paul murderously pursued
Christ’s followers wherever he
could.
But a singular event changed
Paul’s direction. After seeing
Jesus in dazzling light while on
the road to Damascus, Paul be-
came a follower of Jesus within
a matter of days. He embraced
discipleship with the same fervor
and obedience that had charac-
terized his previous contempt for
Christ.
In wrestling with the call of
Jesus and in finally meeting Him,
Paul experienced a reckoning he
had never encountered. As Paul
sat in the shadows of Damascus
in Syria, the city he had earlier
determined to wreak havoc in,
his deep perplexity led him ul-
timately to faith in the Messiah.
He was not unlike me, dying to
myself in that hospital bed.
The only illumination of the
Scriptures that Paul knew so well,
that made any sense, was this
Jesus. The Jesus of Scripture was
simply undeniable, the call of
Jesus to obedience unmistakable,
the burden of Jesus’ discipleship
so clear. Paul saw what he had
never imagined: All those scrip-
tures he could recite suddenly
took on an elevated meaning,
centering on Christ.
“
Like Paul, we must learn
that discipleship is forsaking all,
renouncing our past, and
following Jesus.
Our story
Today we have the legacy
of Paul’s various letters to the
churches so we can understand
their struggles and learn from
them. We also have Luke’s his-
torical account in the book of
Acts giving further insight into
this new Jesus movement. We
learn that the church in Laodicea,
like Paul earlier, practiced a short-
sighted religiosity conspicuous
only by Jesus’ absence. This is
what I came out of and what we
must avoid, by God’s grace.
What happened to Paul’s
original enthusiasm for Judaism?
The apostle finally renounced it,
and his love for and obedience
to Christ Jesus grew. His ener-
gies and endearment for Judaism
were now directed at serving his
Lord. After dedicating his life in
Jesus’ service, Paul eventually
carried his obedience even to the
point of martyrdom, in the name
of his Savior.
Like Paul, we must learn that
discipleship is forsaking all, re-
nouncing our past, and following
Jesus. It’s listening to His Word
and living in obedience — keep-
ing the commandments of
God and the testimony of Jesus
”
(Revelation 12:17). It’s beholding
the Lord Jesus in the entirety of
Scripture. It’s surrendering all and
following His call. Discipleship
is imitating His righteousness in
our lives within the context of
His faith community, the church.
It’s entering into fellowship with
Christ, eating the bread offered
at His table. It’s drinking at the
wellspring of life, the Holy Spirit.
Discipleship is stepping out in
faith and in prayer, in Jesus’
name, to accomplish those great
things that only Jesus can do.
September - October 2019 • 5
Still knocking
Mediocrity and disempower-
ment are not the way of Jesus’
kingdom. They don’t exist! But
the call to service, obedience,
and sacrifice do.
Jesus calls. He knocks. And
if we’re slow to understand, He
can also break our hardened
hearts by inviting us into deep
and enduring fellowship with
Him. But we must willingly re-
spond in faith and submission.
A broken man or woman who
admits their mortality and willful
blindness can be rebuilt by Jesus
“
Are we seeking religion or a
personal relationship? We need
look no further than Jesus.
into His own image, strength,
and glory. Accepting the Lord
of Scripture, Jesus Christ, and
centering our lives around His
call constitute a commitment to
obedience. Jesus’ will and pur-
pose now become preeminent in
our lives, shaping us in complete
conformity to His stature.
Like Paul, our allegiance must
find its true home in Christ. The
former Paul followed his former
way of life so much that he blind-
ly “persecuted” Jesus. The new
Paul, deeply converted and com-
mitted to Christ, was credited
worthy to “stand before the Son
of Man” (Luke 21:36).
6 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
For all his religion and passion,
the Lord probably would have
rebuked Paul with nothing less
than “I never knew you; depart
from me, you workers of lawless-
ness” (Matthew 7:23). Instead,
the Lord Jesus sought Paul out,
an act of grace that defies our
human sense of justice. Did Paul
deserve this divine attention? Do
we deserve this grace?
Grace is who the Good
Shepherd is. It’s what He does!
Jesus extends this grace to you
and me today. Without Him,
we’re completely lost. Similar
”
to the former Paul and those at
Laodicea, a false sense of assur-
ance and conformity to ritual is
nothing more than the devil’s
masquerade of conformity and
religiosity.
The call
There’s work to be done in the
name of Jesus. The gifts He has
given us are for His service, to
the Father’s glory. Those who are
blind need the healing to behold
what they’ve never seen. The
thirsty need the drink they’ve
never tasted. The hungry don’t
realize they crave the Bread of
Life — all in Jesus alone.
Paul came to understand the
compelling call of Jesus to attend
to these needs. Thus, he spent
the rest of his life dedicated to
the Lord who saved him, preach-
ing Christ and sharing the Bread
of Life. Paul knew just how much
he had been given and what
was required of him, and lived
accordingly. He fed the Word
of the Lord, in Scripture and
personified in Jesus, to all who
would listen.
In the face of seemingly
impossible odds, Jesus’ other
disciples learned the same les-
son. “You give them something
to eat,” said Jesus to Phillip and
Andrew. “Feed my sheep,” said
Jesus to Peter, just beginning to
understand discipleship and com-
mission. That’s the baton of dis-
cipleship Paul also grasped.
This timeless call to servitude
is also for you and me today. We
must encounter and surrender to
the Jesus of Scripture, who then
invites us into His service for a
life of discipleship that is further
characterized by obedience. “If
you love me, you will keep my
commandments,” said Jesus
(John 14:15).
Paul became Christ centered
in word and deed, and he sought
out others to do likewise. He
brought every thought in obedi-
ence to Christ (2 Corinthians
10:5). Those “wretched, pitiable,
poor, blind, and naked” folk
(Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:17)
in Laodicea who ignored Jesus’
calling and knocking were also
featured in Paul’s letter to those
in Colossae. Apparently these
believers also suffered the same
spiritual blindness.
Paul expressed his struggle
in appealing to those in both
continued on page 23

On Mission . . .
In Central America
Join us in this space each issue
of 2019 for CoG7 evangelism
stories direct from the field all
around the globe.
In this issue we feature an
interview conducted by NAMC
President Daniel Flores with
Walter Apen, IMC representa-
tive for Central America (Zone
2). They were recently in Belize
for the Zone 2 Leadership
Conference.
The following is an edited
transcript of the video interview,
which can be viewed in its entire-
ty at https://imc.cog7.org:4443/
media/zone2.html.
Daniel Flores (DF): Brother
Walter, it’s a pleasure meeting
you here in Belize. What can
you tell me about the churches
in Zone 2? What can a person
expect to find there?
Walter Apen (WA): Well,
first, I believe that any person
can come to the Church the
same way I did. I was born and
raised in a family that professed
to be Catholic. But when I was
a teenager, I started listening to
the Word of God, and I found
this church. I liked it because the
people gathering for services
were very humble. There was a
person who always invited me
every Sabbath. I was a child, and
he took me to the church.
Foreign Fields
Daniel Flores (left)
and Walter Apen
DF: How old were you?
WA: I was about eleven. In
that church they gave out snacks
to the children, and I liked going
because of it. At the same time,
the gospel message was getting
deep within me. Later on, I went
astray because of my parents, but
as Ecclesiastes says, “Cast your
bread upon the waters, for you
shall find it later.” A few years
later, I went back to my faith with
my wife.
DF: Were you already mar-
ried?
WA: Yes, we married at a
very young age — seventeen.
One thing that was strange to
me was that when I went back
continued on page 28
September - October 2019 • 7
 [Instruction]
Why Holiness?
A calling and command for
God’s children.
by Marcellus George
W
e are besieged in our
culture with messages
about situational ethics
and moral relativism. “If it feels
good, do it,” we have been told
for decades. And where did that
get us?
What if God has a different
message for His children? Peter
emphasizes that God’s plan for
us is holiness. Quoting Leviticus,
Peter reminds his readers, “But as
8 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
He who called you is holy, you
also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, ‘Be holy, for
I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15, 16). It
is the same word he uses in 3:15:
“Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts, and always be ready to
give a defense to everyone who
asks you a reason for the hope
that is in you, with meekness and
fear.”
But what does it mean to be
holy, or sanctified? Some see this
as a “better than thou” attitude,
but holiness is not about a list
of things not to do. It is about
striving to do the right thing re-
gardless of the circumstances.
Some of us identify holiness with
stained glass windows, but it is
not the “walk on the water” per-
fection we think of. Rather, holi-
ness is desiring God and growing
in our relationship with Him.
In his Christian Bible Studies
article “What Does It Mean
When God Asks Us to Be Holy
as He is Holy?” author Joel
Scandrett says, “Holiness is not
primarily about moral purity. It’s
primarily about union with God
in Christ and sharing in Christ’s
holiness.” And in his book The
Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges
notes, “But God has not called
us to be like those around us. He
has called us to be like Himself.
Holiness is nothing less than con-
formity to the character of God.”
There are three reasons we
must be holy, according to
Scripture. Let’s look at them.
Our calling
God’s nature is holy, and it
could not be otherwise. He is in-
capable of being tempted by sin
(James 1:13). The nature of God
is so holy that twice in Scripture
we are privileged to witness the
scene in heaven where the an-
gels who surround God shout,
“Holy, holy, holy . . .” (Isaiah 6:3;
Revelation 4:8). As the old hymn
by Reginald Heber states,
Holy, holy, holy! All the
saints adore Thee,/Casting
down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea;/
Cherubim and seraphim fall-
ing down before Thee,/Which
wert, and art, and evermore
shall be.
God calls us to be holy like
Him, but He does not leave us
on our own to desire to do what
is holy. Rather, He is at work in
us to make us want to do what
pleases Him (Philippians 2:13).
God transforms our desire to
become holy like Him as we
grow in our relationship with
Him. While the war with sin con-
tinues in our bodies, there comes
an ever-increasing desire for holi-
ness (Romans 7:22). The result is
that our growth in Christlikeness
is a combination of divine sover-
eignty and human responsibility
to make us holy. The evidence
of God at work in our lives is a
growing desire to be holy.
Command
The original command to be
holy was given to Israel as they
came out of Egypt, and it was to
mark their special relationship
with God. They were taught how
to be different than the Egyptians
and the surrounding nations,
because they were to worship
the one and only true God. This
command was not given to limit
Israel’s freedom but to enhance
it.
God looked upon Israel as
His sons and desired that they
experience the best He had to
offer. Peter captures this idea in
his quotation of Leviticus 19:2.
We now, as God’s sons and
daughters, have been called out
of a world full of sin and sadness.
We can rejoice in our salvation.
Because He has chosen us to be
His children, we delight in find-
ing out and doing what is holy.
This idea is at the core of Peter’s
list of virtues in 2 Peter 1:5-7:
“Giving all diligence, add to your
faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control, to
self-control perseverance, to per-
severance godliness, to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to broth-
erly kindness love.” God’s desire
is to give us every good and per-
fect gift (James 1:17).
Defense
God wants us to be fruitful
(John 15:5), and this fruit in-
cludes sharing the gospel with
others. First Peter 3:15, 16 points
out that as we seek to live holy
(sanctified) lives, God will enable
us to make a defense to those
who ask us about our faith. After
listing those qualities we are to
grow in, Peter repeats the idea
of fruitfulness in 2 Peter 1:8:
“For if these things are yours and
abound, you will be neither bar-
ren nor unfruitful in the knowl-
“
We can share God’s grace and holiness
with others in order to show them that our
God is real and our faith changes our lives.
edge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In
other words, God’s desire is for
our holiness to make others want
to know Him.
Holiness is not judging others
based on my own convictions.
When another person and I
stand in the light of God’s holi-
ness, we both fall short. Instead,
it is letting God’s character shine
on those around me so that they
are attracted to Him. Sin will
always oppose holiness in this
life, and our culture is becom-
ing more populated with people
who hate God and deny His
existence. But we can share His
grace and holiness with others in
order to show them that our God
is real and our faith changes our
lives.
Facing the challenge
Becoming increasingly holy
mirrors God and His character.
We are commanded to be holy
people because we are set apart
unto God. We must intentionally
develop habits of holiness (such
as Bible reading and prayer) in
our lives in order to overcome
sin. Obedience chooses to do
what is right even when it is dif-
ficult.
”
Holiness does not mean that
I work to earn my righteousness
but that I have been set aside
by God to do what is good and
right.
Increasing in holiness is what
is meant by becoming progres-
sively sanctified. As I walk with
God, I am to become conformed
to His nature (Romans 12:2).
Let’s encourage one another in
this! BA
Marcellus George
writes from Fort
Wayne, IN.
September - October 2019 • 9
 Taking
Jesus to Jail
by Elaine Schulte
I’ve often thought I should visit women in jail
and tell them about Jesus, but it never worked
out. My excuses seemed legitimate. I had a
young family to care for, we often moved for my
husband’s career, and I was barely meeting dead-
lines on the four books the Lord led me to write.
One sunny afternoon the mailman left an
interesting envelope in our mailbox. Its return ad-
dress was a Florida jail.
A jail?
I tore open the envelope. The writer, Brenda,
had found one of my Christian novels on the
jail’s book cart, and after reading it, she prayed to
accept Jesus as her Savior. Her life had changed
as she read and reread the pages about my hero-
ine’s decision for the Lord.
“Thank you for writing the book,” Brenda
wrote. “I feel my life changing for better every
day.”
It ended with, “I wish I had a Bible.”
The day was so bright with sunshine, the letter
lifted my spirits even higher. I owned a collec-
tion of Bibles and decided to send Brenda what
I thought was the easiest one to understand.
First, though, I reread the notes I’d written on the
pages while I attended Bible studies. It was a joy
to read them again.
Finally, I wrapped up the Bible, prayed for
Brenda, and sent it. I knew that in most jails, the
inmates are allowed to receive Bibles.
A month later, another letter from Brenda.
10 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
She wrote, “Thank you for the Bible. I feel like
you’re teaching me through your notes. I can’t
believe how easy it is to understand the Bible
since I gave my life to the Lord. I didn’t under-
stand about Jesus when my parents took me to
church.”
I was delighted, and told Brenda so in my next
letter. Months later, she responded, “The pastor
who comes here is taking me around to other
jails so I can tell the women prisoners how the
Lord changed my life. I tell about the joy and
peace He gives me. I feel like my life is finally
worthwhile.”
That was the last letter from Brenda. We were
in the midst of moving and somehow lost each
other’s addresses. I pray she holds on to Jesus.
I’m grateful to whoever placed my novel on
that jail’s book cart. Through Brenda, God ful-
filled my wish to visit prisoners and tell them
about Jesus. (Christian novels are often best so
the reader can identify with the characters.)
With so many Christian books available nowa-
days, I hope other Christian readers will donate
appropriate books to jails and prisons. It’s an
easy way to make a stand for the Lord. BA
Elaine Schulte writes from Scottsdale,
AZ.
 Questions & Answers
How
still binding?
do we know what is abolished from
the old covenant? Is Leviticus 19:19
These
we get.
are two big questions for this
short space. Let’s see how far
We should recognize a basic tension in the
New Testament. On one side, “All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . .
for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
And Jesus says, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4; Deuter-
onomy 8:3). Verses like these provide a high view
of the authority of Scripture, Torah included.
On the other side, the New Testament is clear
that the old covenant has been replaced by a new
one in Jesus’ blood (Luke 22:20). Hebrews puts it
plainly, commenting on the prophecy of Jeremiah
31:31-33: “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He
has made the first obsolete” (8:13). This requires
a “change of the law” (7:12). We see from Jeremiah
that “My law” is part of both covenants, but the
change impacts how we read and appropriate
them as new covenant Christians. We’re no longer
under a yoke to do the whole law of Moses (Acts
15:5, 10; Galatians 5:1-3).
One change is in the prophecy itself: “I will put
My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts”
(Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10). The external
code on “tablets of stone” becomes an internal,
new nature by the Spirit (Exodus 24:12; 2 Corin-
thians 3:3). Jesus and Paul call this fulfilling the
law (Matthew 5:17; Romans 13:8), and the love
commandment summarizes it all (Leviticus 19:18;
Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). Verses like these teach
us that moral laws, like the Ten Commandments,
are “righteous requirements of the law” still bind-
ing on Christians, but from the inside out (Romans
2:26; 8:1-4; 13:8-10).
The New Testament gives tools and examples
to help us rightly divide the Word by the Spirit.
We can see what the Word reaffirms and what it
doesn’t, and why. For instance, purity and blood
laws of the temple priesthood are changed and
fulfilled in Christ and are no longer necessary to
perform literally. This accounts for the vast major-
ity of the 613 laws of the Torah. Still, the language
of priesthood and temple is retained and spiritu-
ally applied to the work of Christ and the church
in many New Testament passages (Romans 12:1;
1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 2:21; 5:1; Philippians 2:17).
Other examples show Paul appropriating ob-
scure laws in such a way that gives the old a fresh
meaning in the Spirit. For instance, drawing on an
agricultural law (“You shall not plow with an ox and
a donkey together”), he instructs Christians not to
be “unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Corinthi-
ans 6:14; Deuteronomy 22:10). In another place,
Paul writes that those who minister the gospel are
worthy of their pay. He supports this by another
agricultural law: “You shall not muzzle an ox while
it treads out the grain” (1 Corinthians 9:9; Deuter-
onomy 25:4). In these places, Paul argues from a
lesser to a higher principle of the law.
With these examples in mind, let’s turn to
Leviticus 19:19. If “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself” in verse 18 is for Christians, why not
19? That verse begins “You shall keep My statutes”
and follows with instruction on three areas of life:
not “mixing” different kinds of fabric in clothes, dif-
ferent kinds of seeds in crops, and different kinds
of livestock in breeding.
We’ve come to the end of our space here, but
you can read the full answer in the Q&A section at
the all-new baonline.org.
— Jason Overman
September - October 2019 • 11
 [Holy Spirit]
Empowered
Witnesses
Living the call,
divinely enabled.
by JP Robinson
J
erusalem, ad 33.
The fledgling church had
been given a mission, a call
that would challenge social
norms, upend religious traditions,
and identify her members as a
group of radicals.
It was a call they ran from.
Yes, the disciples had seen
Jesus resurrected. They had
heard Him speak and watched
Him ascend. But that wasn’t
enough to keep them from seek-
ing shelter behind closed doors
12 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
(John 20:19) and praying that
the Holy City would not become
their tomb.
Then Pentecost came — and
nothing would be the same
again.
What enabled terrified men
and women to become a living
echo of the Lion of Judah’s roar?
What gave them the boldness,
the passion, and the fervent de-
sire to see Christ glorified, even
at the cost of their own lives?
It was neither confidence in
their theological brilliance nor
trust in their philosophical elo-
quence. Frankly, the Scripture
records that many of the dis-
ciples were “unlearned and
ignorant” (Acts 4:13, KJV). Yet
their conduct, miracles, and un-
precedented fraternal love forced
even their adversaries to admit
that they had been with Jesus.
The difference was the abiding
presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter
and the 120 other believers were
living proof that Joel’s prophecy
of a spiritual outpouring was ac-
curate (Joel 2:28). Here we see
one of the most compelling as-
pects of God’s divine plan: prep-
aration. God doesn’t just call us
to service; He equips us. Christ
hadn’t abandoned His fledgling
church. He was operating with
those believers, and in them, just
as He promised. Against all odds,
they — the empowered witnesses
— changed the world.
Divine methods
God’s pattern of preparing
His children before service has
not changed (Acts 2:39), but His
methods of equipping us are of-
ten unexpected and, sometimes,
unseen.
In 2010, I found myself unani-
mously elected as the pastor of a
small rural congregation. Like the
believers of old, I felt daunted by
the work God had called me to
do. I was only 25 and, although
I had been in ministry for about
eight years, many of my congre-
gational members were older
than I and came from various
ethnic backgrounds. The church
had little money and no building
of its own, and it had recently
undergone a series of devastating
losses.
While I felt unprepared, I real-
ized later that unbeknownst to
me, God had been molding my
life for this moment. The strength
and leadership I needed were al-
ready there, but it took this seem-
ingly overwhelming situation for
God to demonstrate what He
can do if we are willing to step
out in obedience to His call.

Lesson
Fast-forward ten years. That
same church is flourishing with
a strong focus on both local
outreach and global missions.
We nurture Christian marriages
across the nation. We’ve fed the
hungry, reached out to those in
prison, and offered hope to the
abused and fatherless. To me,
it is nothing short of a miracle,
but it is a miracle with a lesson
behind it.
So often we limit God by
focusing on our weaknesses
instead of on His strength. Like
Moses, we list our inabilities with-
out realizing that, through Him,
our ability to carry out His com-
mission is unlimited. We are His
witnesses, empowered by His
Spirit and molded by experience.
Let us recall the words spoken
to Joshua when he received his
commission: “Have I not com-
manded you? Be strong and cou-
rageous. Do not be frightened,
and do not be dismayed, for the
Lord your God is with you wher-
ever you go” (Joshua 1:9, ESV). An Online Facelift
In a time where fear and social For years you have enjoyed the convenience of the BA Online
unrest claim the hearts of many, — accessing the archive, reading “extras,” and exploring other
the need for empowered witness- content. Now the all-new BA Online features not just the current
es has never been greater. and past issues but new sections as well: Lead Up (articles from
Like the believers of old, let Artios), Now What? (stories on life’s problems), and Media4U (the
us step forward boldly, recogniz- latest in Christian media and events). With one click of a button,
ing that we have God. And that the whole website can convert to Spanish.
means we can change the world.
BA We’re still working on the site, but feel free to visit. You’ll like
what you see!
baonline.org
JP Robinson writes
from Willow Street, Don’t miss these online-only articles for the September-
PA. October BA:
“Protecting the Commandments”
“Learning to Love the Church”

September - October 2019 • 13
 [Theology]
Understanding divine
indicatives and imperatives.
by Caitlin Meadows
“I ’d like to be baptized some-
day, but I don’t think I’m
ready yet. I need more time.”
I’ve heard statements along
these lines several times. Those
who speak them wrongly be-
lieve that they must first be good
enough before receiving the
salvation that Christ offers them.
Some have parents imposing this
false belief on them.
Others grew up in congre-
gations that focused more on
how the Bible commands Jesus-
followers to live, and less (or not
at all) on what Jesus Christ has
already accomplished on their
behalf. In effect, these individuals
believe they have to fulfill gospel
imperatives without first embrac-
ing gospel indicatives.
Definitions
If you’re unfamiliar with
these terms, let me simplify
them, based on the writing of
Gary DeLashmutt and Dennis
McCallum (Xenos Christian
Fellowship):
Gospel indicatives: What God
has already done on your behalf
in Christ.
Gospel imperatives: What you
are to do as a result of being in
Christ.
The whole Bible points to
Jesus Christ stepping in to re-
ceive the full penalty of our sins
in our place so that through Him,
we can be restored to God in
righteousness and purity. This
is an indicative truth — a state-
ment of what is, of what God
14 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
The Gospel’s
Proper Order
has already done for us through
Christ. By placing our faith in
Jesus Christ and receiving the res-
toration He freely offers, we also
receive His grace that frees us to
live obediently as righteous and
pure disciples. Our obedience is
the imperative. As DeLashmutt
and McCallum say, it is what we
are to do as a result of being in
Christ.
Is there an order?
Indicatives precede impera-
tives. Who we are and what we
do always come after who God
is and what He has done. God,
through Christ, initiates relation-
ship with us. We, through Christ,
respond to God’s initiation. We
can accept it and then, restored
in Christ, live transformed in His
likeness. Or we can reject His
initiation and continue to live for
our own glory. But we cannot
live obediently enough to save
ourselves. We can never earn
God’s favor, let alone eternal
salvation (Romans 3:23, 24). We
desperately, unequivocally need
Jesus Christ for relationship with
the Father, for salvation, and for
obedience (John 14:6).
This divine order is critical. As
Israel Steinmetz has explained
to me, “It is a reminder that God
is always the source, always the
one who initiates. Every time
we’re commanded to love, we
should remember that God loved
us first, an act that gave us the
ability and urgency to love one
another. God initiates; we are
changed and respond. This is the
significance of the indicative-im-
perative relationship. Regardless
of which one is stated first [in
a text, like Ephesians 5:1, 2] or
even if we state them indepen-
dently, they are intimately related
to one another and the indicative
always precedes the imperative
in reality, even if not in our writ-
ing/speech.”
Is there a balance?
Is the indicative more impor-
tant than the imperative? This is,

perhaps, an even more contro-
versial question among believers
than the question of order.
Are gospel indicatives and im-
peratives equally balanced? No.
Because the indicatives always
precede the imperatives, they
are of greater value. God initi-
ates (indicatives). This initiation,
complete with His grace, enables
His followers to respond through
obedience to the imperatives.
In other words, without His in-
dicatives, the imperatives are im-
possible and pointless (Galatians
2:16, 21). Instead of questioning
their balance, let’s turn our atten-
tion to their inseparable relation-
ship.
Inseparable elements
In his book Theology and
Ethics in Paul, theologian Victor
Paul Furnish explains this insepa-
rable relationship between gos-
pel indicatives and imperatives:
Paul understands these
two dimensions of the gospel
[indicative and imperative]
in such a way that, though
they are not absolutely
identified, they are closely
and necessarily associated.
God’s claim is regarded by
the apostle as a constitutive
part of God’s gift. The Pauline
concept of grace is inclusive
of the Pauline concept of
obedience. . . .
In Christ he has been
engaged, renewed, and
restored by the creative and
redemptive power of God’s
love. Moreover, in Christ he
knows that redemption is
not just deliverance from
the hostile powers to which
he was formerly enslaved,
but freedom for obedience
to God. For Paul, obedience
is neither preliminary to the
new life (as its condition)
nor secondary to it (as its
result and eventual fulfill-
ment). Obedience is constitu-
tive of the new life.
Our response
As a result of this relationship
between gospel indicatives and
imperatives, we know our proper
place before the Lord. We are
not to live in an attempt to earn
His favor. Doing this either leads
to prideful self-righteousness or
fearful distance between our-
selves and our heavenly Father.
Rather, we are to live in response
to God’s initiation through Christ,
which means heeding gospel im-
peratives as a loving response to
gospel indicatives. We obey God
out of love because He loved us
first. Even more, His grace oper-
ating in and through us enables
our obedience.
When a person says that
someday they’ll give their life to
the Lord or be good enough to
proclaim publicly that they have
done so, this is the truth they
need to know: Someday will
never arrive. Today is the day be-
cause Jesus has already accom-
plished their salvation. He has
finished the work. All they must
do is respond to His initiation in
faith. They can embrace gospel
indicatives and proceed through
His grace and in love to live out
gospel imperatives. Christ is re-
creating them, causing the old to
fall away and the new to come.
BA
Caitlin Meadows
and her husband,
Adam, live in
Hudsonville, MI.
Reprinted, with revi-
sions, from Artios
Magazine: https://
artiosmagazine.org/god-thoughts/
gospel-indicatives-imperatives/.
September - October 2019 • 15
 [Following Jesus’ Plan]
A Friend to Jesus
by Jody McCoy
In Luke 7:36-50, two people befriend Jesus.
The first is Simon the Pharisee. Though the other
Pharisees want to kill Jesus, Simon realizes He
could be the real thing; He can heal and even
raise the dead. So Simon invites Jesus home for a
meal, and He accepts.
Soon after they sit down to eat, the second
friend enters the scene: a woman with a bad rep-
utation — perhaps a prostitute. From the story, it’s
clear that Jesus had transformed her in a previous
encounter. Now she longs for a tangible way to
express her gratitude.
When she hears Jesus is at Simon’s house, the
woman can’t stop herself; she has to see Him.
She brings an alabaster jar of fragrant oil and
weeps as she anoints Jesus’ feet and wipes them
with her hair.
Simon is repulsed by who the woman is, and
thinks Jesus should be repulsed. Since He isn’t,
in Simon’s reasoning, Jesus must not know what
kind of woman she is, and thus, He can’t be a
true prophet. His Pharisee friends are right: Jesus
is a phony.
Having allowed Simon time to misjudge Him,
Jesus sees this as the moment to draw His friend
into a closer relationship. To do so, He must also
risk pushing Simon away. Jesus gently opens the
door: “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
Then He tells Simon a story of two people who
were forgiven debts. The creditor forgave one a
debt ten times larger than the other. Then Jesus
asks Simon, “Which of them will love him more?”
Simon responds, “The one he forgave more.”
Now comes the moment of truth. For Simon
to love Jesus as his Savior, not just as his friend,
he must first see himself as a sinner. He cannot
16 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
hide behind his reputation as a Pharisee and the
woman’s reputation as a prostitute. He must ac-
cept that this woman’s actions have been that of
a loving friend — more loving than his own. Jesus
says to him (paraphrasing), “You gave me no wa-
ter for My feet, no kiss, and no oil. This woman
did all those things for me. Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to
whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Now Jesus turns to the woman and speaks the
words that both she and Simon need to hear:
“Your sins are forgiven.” To the woman, it’s the
joy of forgiveness. To Simon, it’s Jesus revealing
His divinity, because only God can forgive sins.
How does Simon respond? We don’t know.
It’s as if the author is saying that Simon’s re-
sponse isn’t the point. The point is, how do I re-
spond to Jesus’ love as His friend? Do I love Jesus
a little or much? In John 15:12, 14, Jesus says,
“This is my commandment, that you love one an-
other as I have loved you. . . . You are my friends
if you do what I command you” (ESV).
Jesus wants to rescue a lost world through
me. To be His friend, I must be faithful in the
responsibility He’s entrusted to me: His Great
Commission. If my love for Jesus isn’t where it
needs to be, I need to reflect on how much I’ve
been forgiven. BA
Jody McCoy is executive director of
the General Conference and lives in
Austin, TX.
One Candle
One
candle
to burn
in
the
desperate
darkness.
One candle
to cast
circles of
Christ’s
love.
One candle
to guide
travelers
lost in
the night.
One candle
to reflect
the everlasting flame
of One
Life.
Elaine Wilburt

September - October 2019 • 17
 [Leadership]
Moving Beyond
by Amber Mann Riggs
C halkboards, classrooms, and
open books dominate web
search results for teaching-
related imagery. When we in-
clude the word Christian, then
pulpits, pews, and Bibles join the
mix.
Because we are heirs of the
Enlightenment and citizens of the
Information Age, our concept of
discipleship and teaching is often
conflated with the notion of shar-
ing information. We think, They
don’t do, because they do not
understand. We must tell them.
Surely, once they have the correct
information, they’ll apply it. This
is how we so often approach dis-
cipleship. We pack our sermons
and Sabbath school classes with
so much information that no one
can remember it all, much less
practice it.
When Jesus told His disciples
to make more disciples by
“teaching them to observe all
that I commanded you,” sharing
information would have been
only a small part of the picture
they had in mind (Matthew
28:20b). What did they picture?
Probably hillsides and healings,
For more practical
parables and parties, wells and
leadership articles from
wheat fields, and walking miles
Artios Christian College,
down dusty roads. His disciples
visit the new Lead Up
understood that He spent every
section at baonline.org.
minute of every day and night
18 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
teaching them. Class was never
dismissed because as long as
Jesus was with them, school was
in session. He transformed their
lives, not by giving them a lot
of new information but by invit-
ing them into a new chapter of
what God was doing on earth. It
reshaped their understanding of
God and showed them how to
walk in the ways of God’s king-
dom.
While the twenty-first century
world is vastly different from first
century Judea, Information Age
research has revealed a number
of effective, timeless teaching
techniques. Whether you teach
adults from behind a pulpit, or
your own kids from the front seat
of your car, these tools will add
more dimension to your disciple-
making.
Root your teaching in a con-
textual story. The narrative arc
of the Bible is the story of the
kingdom of God. Jesus’ students
were already rooted in this story.
Your students, however, may
not be as familiar with how God
established His realm and rule
in Eden and determined to bless
the entire earth by expanding
this kingdom. However, every-
thing else you teach them will
find its context if they see where
they fit within this storyline.
Information
Narrow down what you need
to teach, and focus on these
things. What aspects of God’s
kingdom (as embodied by Jesus)
are not yet a reality for your stu-
dents? Write them down. In our
teaching, we can easily get side-
tracked by tangents and can “ma-
jor on the minors.” When Jesus
taught, He focused on equipping
His disciples for what they would
need to do when He left. He
didn’t let Himself become dis-
tracted from that task.
Don’t limit teaching to the
classroom or the pulpit. Effective
teachers see the world as their
classroom. Aware that students
are always watching, they apply
what they teach in the potluck
line, on the phone, at the grocery
store, and in their homes. When
appropriate, they use words.
Associate lessons with physi-
cal objects. A sparrow is so
synonymous with Jesus’ teaching
that I can’t even hear the word
sparrow without thinking about
God’s care for us. As a result of
a sermon I heard about time,
I wore my watch upside-down
for two years to remind myself
that God’s view of time is differ-
ent than ours. What everyday
objects could be used to remind
your students about kingdom
principles?
Use easy-to-remember say-
ings. I doubt that a scribe was
present to record Jesus’ Sermon
on the Mount. So why were His
students able to remember it?
In addition to powerful imagery,
Jesus used linguistic techniques
like poetry and hyperbole. Their
structure made it easy for listen-
ers to remember what He had
said. While we do not live in an
oral culture, when we hear the
same sayings and phrases often
enough, we remember them!
Tell stories. It is said that a
picture paints a thousand words.
The same can be said for Jesus’
parables. These stories communi-
cated complex truths and caused
emotions to engage with these
truths. Despite our proclivity to
elevate objectivity, emotional
engagement is a key to inciting
action. When we tell stories, we
invite students to find themselves
in these narratives. The stories
become part of them, making it
more likely that they act them
out in their lives.
Teach the same thing in
multiple contexts. Not only are
Jesus’ teachings timeless but they
are applicable at home, work,
church, school, and around the
community. However, students
often need help associating
teaching with multiple contexts.
The more locations they connect
to a teaching, the more pervasive
that teaching becomes.
Get your (and their) hands
dirty. Remember the demons the
disciples couldn’t cast out? Jesus
let His disciples get their hands
dirty and fail. He showed them
how to do it, then He let them
try. However, when the disciples
still needed more help, He gave
it to them. Every ministry in your
church is an opportunity for min-
istry leaders to provide this type
of coaching and teaching.
If discipleship is about knowl-
edge, we’re all destined for fail-
ure. We will never know as much
as the Word, through whom and
by whom the world was made.
Jesus’ goal was to invite disciples
into His life to walk in His ways.
When we do this and teach oth-
ers to do likewise, we too take
part in this grand tradition of dis-
cipleship. BA
Amber Riggs is dean
of administration for
Artios Christian Col-
lege. She lives near
Eugene, OR with her
husband, Bryan, and
their four daughters.
Scripture quotations are from the
New American Standard Bible.
September - October 2019 • 19
 [Evangelism]

A Beautiful Witness
Five keys to meaningful
faith conversations with
unbelievers.
by Israel Steinmetz
Greek word kosmeo is translated
“adorn.” Sometimes it refers
to organizing and cleaning a
room. Other times, it speaks of a
bride made beautiful. Order and
beauty.
The instance that strikes me is
in Titus 2:10. Here, Paul identi-
of creation. It is also a challenge
to live and speak in ways that
make the gospel as appealing as
possible. How do we face this
challenge in an increasingly post-
Christian culture?
Recently I read a survey from
Barna Research Group that dis-

C
fies the purpose for his instruc- covered “Nearly all non-Chris-
osmos and cosmetic — two
tions on Christian living to the tians . . . and lapsed Christians
words that don’t seem to
young and old, women and men, . . . have a friend or family mem-
have much in common but
servants and masters, wives and ber who practices and prioritizes
share a common Greek root.
husbands. With echoes of Jesus’ Christianity — but these believers
The Greek word has two primary
“Let your light shine” (Matthew may not be their ideal conversa-
meanings: order and beauty.
5:16), Paul encourages believers tion partners when it comes to
While these ideas might seem
to live holy lives, “so that they faith.” Reading the research was
disparate to us, in Greek they
will adorn the doctrine of God fascinating as it became clear
were closely related. Things in
our Savior in every respect.” That that many non-Christians and
proper order, like the cosmos,
is, Paul instructs us to live lives lapsed Christians do not per-
were beautiful. Beautiful things
that display the orderliness and ceive the gospel to be orderly or
were well ordered. Like a sym-
beauty of the gospel. This is a beautiful in their interactions with
metrical face or a snail’s shell
reminder that living holy lives is Christians.
displaying the Golden Spiral,
not simply for us, but in fact is What if we could change
nature’s order was beautiful,
aimed at others and accomplish- that? What if we took the time
and beauty was orderly. In many
es God’s mission to redeem all to hear what our neighbors are
New Testament versions, the

20 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org

saying, and demonstrate love by
responding to them?
In order to do this, let’s look
at the characteristics that non-
Christians and lapsed Christians
identified as most important.
These characteristics represent
ways we can make the gospel or-
derly and beautiful to those who
need to hear.
Judgment
Six in ten of those surveyed
wanted a conversation partner
who listened without judgment,
but only three in ten felt their
Christian friends demonstrated
this characteristic. Sadly, many
Christians believe we should
judge non-believers, despite
Scripture to the contrary. Those
who do not accept the gospel
are already judged. Jesus has
come to offer salvation to all
those who will believe (John
3:16, 17). This is our role as His
ambassadors — not to judge un-
believers (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
but to share the message and
ministry of reconciliation with
them so they will be reconciled
to God (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).
Judging a non-believer for
their individual sins is like criti-
cizing a person suffering from
cancer for a minor symptom! It
is not our responsibility to con-
demn their sins but to offer them
salvation. Those who respond to
the conviction of the Holy Spirit
will receive the gospel as the gift
it is. Those who do not will only
be further repelled by our con-
demnation.
Conclusions
The next characteristic deals
with conclusions. Half of the
survey respondents said they
wanted to dialogue with people
who don’t force their own con-
clusions, and nearly that many
said they appreciated those who
allowed others to draw their own
conclusions. Here we should
remember that faith in God is a
deeply personal response of be-
lief and trust. It is not something
to be argued or coerced into. As
the old saying goes, “A man con-
vinced against his will is of the
same opinion still.” As we share
our deeply held convictions with
others, we must leave room for
them to reach their own conclu-
sions and come to genuine faith
through their own wrestling with
difficult questions and choices.
Along these lines, two other
results from the survey were
significant. Twenty percent ex-
pressed an appreciation for those
“
Most people are responsive to
those who are confident in their own
views, but aware of the paradoxes
inherent in any faith claim.
who were aware of the inconsis-
tencies in their own perspective,
and only 15 percent appreciated
someone who was “good at de-
bating topics.”
Some who advocate for evan-
gelism via apologetics claim we
must have answers for every
question and be skilled debaters
to convince others of the gospel.
But the data paints a different
picture. Most people today aren’t
looking for an abstract debate
about the existence of God or
the problem of evil. They’re not
won over by those who “have
all the answers” or know how to
win an argument. Rather, they’re
responsive to those who are
confident in their own views, but
aware of the paradoxes inherent
in any faith claim. That is, they
want people who sincerely be-
lieve what they believe, but who
also acknowledge the mysteries
of faith and the limits of reason
and logic when it comes to su-
pernatural matters. Faith is based
on evidence, not proof. Our
belief ultimately rests in a gra-
cious God we cannot fully com-
prehend or explain, not airtight
arguments that can counter any
objection.
”
Mutuality
The third characteristic has to
do with how we relate. One-third
of those surveyed agreed on the
importance of their conversation
partner being both “confident in
sharing their own perspective”
and demonstrating “interest in
other people’s story or life.” This
reminds us of the importance
of mutuality and authenticity
September - October 2019 • 21
in our interactions with non-
Christians or lapsed Christians.
In contrast with the “drive-by”
or “sales pitch” approaches to
evangelism that were popular in
past decades, we are called to a
far more relational and personal
approach.
Paul models this in his com-
mitment to become all things
to all people, if by any means to
win some (1 Corinthians 9:19-
23). On one hand, he was com-
mitted to sharing the gospel, con-
fident in his belief in his Savior.
On the other hand, he was
committed to building bridges to
people, understanding their per-
“
Evangelism is much like other forms
of communication: Listening is more
important than speaking.
spective, and entering into their
contexts and lives for the sake of
the gospel.
These are the two inseparable
components of biblical evange-
lism. Unfortunately, they are too
often separated. It is not enough
to simply hold our convictions
with confidence or become like
our audience. We must find ways
to do both without sacrificing
one for the other. Like the Son
becoming incarnate, we enter
the world of those we hope to
reach, while living and speaking
22 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
the message in ways they can un-
derstand and receive.
In this venture, we should
be encouraged to build new
relationships. More of those
surveyed valued conversations
with people who showed interest
in their story than in those who
already knew their story. We
should be open to learning more,
both about those we already
know and those God brings into
our path.
Questions
A similar number of those sur-
veyed were particularly interest-
ed in the topic of questions. They
”
desired dialogue with people
who were good at asking ques-
tions and who focused on the
details of questions they asked.
Both characteristics are vital for
understanding and responding to
the unique needs of the person
we’re speaking to.
This cautions us against the
use of formulaic or generic ap-
proaches to sharing the gospel,
popularized in past methods like
the bridge illustration or Romans
Road. While these canned ver-
sions of the gospel may still have
some usefulness, their effective-
ness is limited as we engage
real people in complex states of
understanding and belief. It is far
better to approach each person
as a unique individual and seek
first to understand who they
are, what they believe, and what
questions concern them.
Evangelism is much like
other forms of communication:
Listening is more important than
speaking. No wonder God gave
us two ears but only one mouth!
Sadly, only a quarter of Christians
surveyed considered themselves
good at asking questions, and
fewer than half felt they were
good at demonstrating interest
in someone else’s life. These
are skills that can be practiced.
As we ask questions, we draw
out the thoughts and feelings of
those we are witnessing to. As
we listen carefully to these ques-
tions and tailor our responses to
pinpoint their specific concerns,
we demonstrate love (Colossians
4:5, 6; 1 Peter 3:13-17).
Listening carefully includes
responding to the questions that
are asked, rather than reading
into them assumptions and at-
titudes from other experiences
and conversations. Only one in
ten expected a dialogue partner
to focus on the emotions be-
hind a question. In other words,
they’re looking for a good listen-
er, not a mind reader.
Practice what you preach?
The most surprising response
in the survey to me was that few-
er than two in ten (15 percent)
of the respondents said they val-
ued a conversation partner who
“exhibited a vibrant faith of their
own.” This is especially striking,
since 57 percent of Christians
believed this was an important
characteristic in sharing one’s
faith. Nearly identical numbers
demonstrated a similar gap be-
tween the value that Christians
placed on helping others have a
spiritual experience of God for
themselves (53 percent) and the
value that non-Christians and
lapsed Christians placed on this
ability (13 percent). So how im-
portant is it for Christians to prac-
tice what they preach and be
able to help others have spiritual
experiences?
Here, we’re directed by
Scripture regarding what others
expect of us. We remember the
words of Jesus and the apostles
that tie our lifestyle to the effec-
tiveness of our witness. We don’t
want to be hypocrites, preaching
one thing and practicing another.
Whether non-Christians and
lapsed Christians value our living
out our beliefs for the sake of
conversation, we realize the im-
portance of it for those conversa-
tions to bear fruit and bring glory
to God.
Let’s live lives that demon-
strate the reality of our words.
This draws people to Christ. This
brings glory to God. This com-
bines the message and ministry
of reconciliation. This makes the
gospel orderly and beautiful to
those who hear it. BA
Israel Steinmetz is
dean of Academic
Affairs for Artios
Christian College and
pastors New Hope
United. He lives in San
Antonio, TX, with his
wife, Anna, and their eight children.
Scripture quotations are from the
New American Standard Bible.
A Call to Obedience
continued from page 6
Colossae and Laodicea, that
they too might “reach all the
riches of full assurance of under-
standing and the knowledge of
God’s mystery, which is Christ”
(Colossians 2:2).
This Jesus
Today the idea of obedience
takes on a new vibrancy, found
only in Jesus. Paul exulted in the
fact that “those who live might
no longer live for themselves but
for him who for their sake died
and was raised” (2 Corinthians
5:15).
The questions that remain for
us are these: How do we read
Scripture? Where does our al-
legiance lie? Who is our Lord?
Who do we live for, and serve?
Are we seeking religion or a per-
sonal relationship? We need look
no further than Jesus.
With our Lord and Savior at
the helm and as head of the
church, and with His promise of
“Where two or three are gath-
ered in my name, there I am
among them” (Matthew 18:20),
our lives now find their true
place of rest, service, and obedi-
ence. BA
John Klassek and his
wife, Rebecca, have
six children and five
grandchildren. Liv-
ing in rural Western
Australia, he works
bi-vocationally in IT
support and ministry
and pastors a CoG7 congregation
near the capital city of Perth. Scrip-
ture quotations are from the English
Standard Version.
Appreciating Pastors
Dear Pastor,
Thank you for your work
for the kingdom of God. It is
a privilege to serve Almighty
God. No doubt you have expe-
rienced different situations: fam-
ily trials, decreased health, un-
stable finances, moments of dis-
couragement, and complicated
challenges in the church. The
apostle Peter experienced sev-
eral difficult trials during his life,
but he could say, “May the God
of all grace, who called us to
His eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after you have suffered a while,
perfect, establish, strengthen,
and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).
God never abandons the work
that has begun.
Dear Church,
October is Pastor
Appreciation Month. Our pas-
tors do much for us throughout
the year, and we are grateful for
their service. We urge all our
members to express their grati-
tude to their pastors and fami-
lies in a special way, remember-
ing what Scripture says: “Let us
consider one another in order
to stir up love and good works”
(Hebrews 10:24).
We are the body of Christ,
and together we work in the
kingdom of God.
— Daniel Flores
NAMC President
September - October 2019 • 23
 [Testimony]

God and My Money

Learning to trust and obey
Jesus with family finances.
“H ow irresponsible you
are!” My mother-in-law’s
face flushed red below
her graying curls. “You’re expect-
addition, we had moved to an
expensive area.

Searching for solutions

by Betts Baker ing the rest of the family, or me,
With my stomach knotted in
to pick up your bills! I can’t be-
worry, I cast around for solutions.
lieve it!”
Credit card debt seemed a hole
Her words put a nasty spin
we shouldn’t start digging. If we
on our most recent decision. A
couldn’t afford something right
few years earlier, my husband
now, how could we be sure we
resigned his long-held overseas
could pay for it later?
job, and we moved our family
All around us, wives worked to
to the US. After a few months of
help meet expenses, but that op-
fruitless job searching, he started
tion didn’t seem realistic for us.
a small business.
My husband and I both felt that
We planned to live on his
our four children — especially the
severance pay until the business
older two, already in their teens
could support us. Month after
— needed me at home to help
month, however, our expenses
them navigate the new culture.
far exceeded our income. The
In desperation, I voiced my
benefits of the overseas job had
fears to God. “Lord, You know
masked the true cost of living. In
our circumstances. You love and

24 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org

care for us. What can we do?” I
read the Bible, clutching at the
promises I found there. Hebrews
13:5, 6 says, “Keep your life free
from the love of money, and be
content with what you have, for
he has said, ‘I will never leave
you nor forsake you.’ So we can
confidently say, ‘The Lord is my
helper; I will not fear. . . .’”
Discontentment
I wanted that fearless con-
fidence. Instead, my growing
anxieties revealed my uncertainty
about God’s willingness to meet
our needs. Why was I anxious?
I’d experienced God’s loving
answers to prayer in the past. But
in those days, we’d always had
a salary and money in the bank.
Had I been depending on them
instead of on God?
The verse in Hebrews com-
manded me to be content with
what we had. We spent more
than came in every month. Was
that a form of discontent? What
if our income never went up?
Perhaps instead of looking for
ways to increase our income,
I should reduce expenses. I
couldn’t imagine what we could
cut, but God could show me. I
just had to look for His way, not
mine.
Another verse sprang to mind:
“My God will supply every
need of yours according to his
riches in glory in Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:19).
What an amazing promise.
But perhaps depending on His
promise meant relinquishing
anything He didn’t consider
necessary. Was I willing? I asked
God for courage to examine our
expenses in His light.
Studying expenditures
My husband and I agreed on
the first step: no more eating out
or buying little treats like French
fries, ice cream cones, and hot
coffee. Clearly, none of these
were necessities.
Then I studied our other
expenditures. Some monthly
expenses were obviously neces-
sities: rent, utilities, gasoline, and
food. Some expenses, like taxes,
had to be saved for. And I didn’t
consider tithing optional, for long
ago I’d learned that God gave us
enough money for other expens-
es if we tithed.
“
We’d always had a salary and
money in the bank. Had I been
depending on them instead
of on God?
I couldn’t discern any nones-
sentials. We had to set aside
money for future needs, didn’t
we? What if our car stopped run-
ning, or someone had to have
new shoes or a jacket? What if
one of us got sick?
Jesus’ words about anxiety
in the sixth chapter of Matthew
seemed written just for me: “But
seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, and all
these things will be added to
you. Therefore do not be anxious
about tomorrow . . .” (Matthew
6:33, 34).
God’s comfort enveloped me
every time I read these words.
They reassured me that He knew
my struggle and had answers. I
just had to believe Him and act
accordingly.
Tomorrow’s worries
Simple. But not easy.
I took a deep breath. For now,
car repairs and clothing needs
were tomorrow’s worries.
One large expense was the
family health insurance. We had
been paying the monthly pre-
”
mium from our rapidly dwindling
savings. To live on our income,
we had to choose between pay-
ing for daily necessities or health
insurance. Together, my husband
and I concluded that at that mo-
ment, even medical expenses
were tomorrow’s worries.
Not long afterward, my
mother-in-law asked some prob-
ing questions about our medical
care. Our answers infuriated
her. By her standards — and the
world’s — such thinking was
September - October 2019 • 25
simple-minded. But the Bible’s
promise was clear: “My God will
supply every need of yours . . .”
(Philippians 4:19). Now each
time my husband brought home
money, I focused on putting
something aside for taxes and
tithes, paying the rent, and buy-
ing groceries and gas. Once that
was done, I asked God to help
me not fret.
And truly, car repairs, clothes,
and medical expenses weren’t
that day’s needs, for the car
was running, and all of us were
healthy and clothed.
“
Month after month, I was
surprised how our needs were met,
one day at a time.
Adjustments
Time passed. I learned to
accept piles of hand-me-down
jeans and T-shirts cheerfully. We
bought winter clothing from thrift
stores on “dollar days.” We inher-
ited beds, sheets, blankets, and
towels from relatives moving to
smaller homes.
For only a few dollars, garage
and estate sales furnished us
with whatever else we needed. A
large box of blank paper for $2.
An office chair for $5. A couch
for $2.50. Two pairs of just-the-
right-size new leather shoes for
$10 each. Month after month,
26 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
I was surprised how our needs
were met, one day at a time.
One week after making a gro-
cery list, I checked how much
I had to spend. Seventeen dol-
lars? I leaned back in the kitchen
chair and laughed out loud. How
could I buy a week’s groceries
for a family of six with only sev-
enteen dollars?
I dropped my face into my
hands. “God, You know what we
need and how much money we
have. Help me see how to man-
age.”
As I slid open the kitchen all-
purpose drawer, scavenging for
”
the few coins in the corners, a
small voice inside asked, “Do
you really need all those grocer-
ies?”
I studied the list. We still had
milk in the fridge, so I didn’t have
to buy a second carton now. We
still had some sugar and flour.
We needed meat, some vegeta-
bles, and fruit, but not foil or pa-
per towels. Not yet. I rethought
each item, crossing out whatever
could wait.
Divine help
With the much shorter list
in hand, I went to the store,
collected the true necessities,
and rolled the cart up to the
cashier. The total came to seven-
teen dollars and some cents. The
coins I’d dug out of the corners
of the drawer just covered the
extra.
A flood of joy and awe
washed over me. God really did
care about meeting our needs!
I drove home from the store re-
joicing.
Beautiful adventure
Step by step, God turned
my struggle into a beautiful ad-
venture. Each time I turned to
Him, He demonstrated His love.
Instead of being a shameful bur-
den, our dependence on God
for financial solutions led to joy.
Now I knew how Paul could say
in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the
Lord always; again I will say, re-
joice.”
The children graduated from
high school and then from col-
lege. God met every need along
the way — even medical expens-
es, despite my mother-in-law’s
forecasts. In recent years, we’ve
joined a health-sharing program.
God is the source of my se-
curity now, not medical cover-
age or money in the bank. And
if sometime again we don’t
have what the world might call
enough, I know I do not need to
be afraid. God really is faithful
and good. BA
Betts Baker writes
from Longmont,
CO. Scripture
quotations are
from the English
Standard Version.
 Wesley California. He soon became active in the church as
one of the local elders. Elder Israel Haeger worked
with Wesley, using him to fill the pulpit when he

Walker
1927 - 2019
James Wesley Walker
(92) was born April
27, 1927 in Stanberry,
Missouri. He passed away May 26, 2019.
All his life, Wesley took his spiritual life seriously.
He went to church, hardly ever missing a Sabbath.
He met Darlene Poff at the Stanberry church, and
they were married December 26, 195l.
The couple returned to Concord to live and start
their family: daughters Orene and Chrisann, and son
Gilbert. Chrisann lived only two days.  pastoring at the McAlester, Oklahoma church,
At the 1951 General Conference Convention
at Red Rocks in Colorado, months before he mar-
ried, Wesley was asked to give a talk to the young
people attending. At that event he couldn’t seem
to shake the feeling that God was calling him into
ministry.
Wanting his family to be closer to the church,
Wesley quit his job and moved them to Sacramento,
was gone. As district overseer, Elder Haeger sent
Wesley to various churches in the area to speak
when there was a need. With his wife’s approval to
enter full-time ministry, he applied for and received
his ministerial license. Over the years the Walkers
pastored churches in Lodi and Stockton, California;
Tacoma, Washington; Eureka, South Dakota; and
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
In 1969 Wesley was elected to the General
Conference board of directors and served on it for
eighteen years. Since “retiring” from eighteen years
of pastoring at Fort Smith, he helped out at vari-
ous churches in Wister, Shawnee, and Claremore,
Oklahoma. In 1999, at age 72, Wesley began
driving 95 miles one way. He retired in December
2018, and in January 2019, began preaching at the
Church of God (Seventh Day) in Kibler, Arkansas. 
Wesley is preceded in death by his parents, one
daughter, four brothers, one sister, and one grand-
son. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, and
other family members.

Introducing the Artios Center

for Vibrant Leadership
What could your congregation do if you realized its potential
for influence?
This is the question that Artios Christian College wants
to help answer through the new Artios Center for Vibrant
Leadership. Founded and led by former GC President Whaid
Rose, the center comes alongside local congregations and lo-
cal leaders to help them increase effective missional engage-
ment in their homes and communities. The center partners
with them through regional Vibrant Church Conferences and
workshops, personal and group leadership coaching, church
consulting, and print and online resources.
To find out more or to schedule a Vibrant Church
Conference in your area, visit http://center.artioscollege.org.

September - October 2019 • 27
 Foreign Fields

church. A year after I was bap-

tized, they appointed me as a
pastor because of the needs we
had. Beginning that year (1983)
and for the next twenty years, I
Central pastored the church where I was
born again.
America DF: Now you are the Zone
2 representative. What else can
you tell me about the countries
CoG7 in Zone 2 that make up this zone?
Countries - Local Congregations - Membership WA: In Central America we
México 899 35,471 live in an atmosphere that is
very dedicated to our doctrine.
Guatemala 180 9,886 The Church doctrine came from
El Salvador 107 3,106 Mexico, and then it expanded to
Honduras 74 3,167 all Central and South America.
Nicaragua 35 1,275 But people from Central America
have had incidents. It’s not that
Belize 18 480
we disagree with changes, be-
Costa Rica 15 299 cause the doctrine is never going
Panamá 2 35 to change — just the systems to
communicate them. For instance,
the theme of evangelism is one
of the strongest we have, so we
Central America don’t need a doctor, but the
sick.” He said since I was spiritu-
built a ministry of evangelism
that we are very dedicated to.
continued from page 7 ally sick, he would keep coming.
DF: What method works best
DF: When did you receive
for you when you evangelize?
to the church, nobody showed Jesus as Lord?
WA: We have several ways.
interest in me except a kind WA: That brother taught me
One of them is visiting differ-
brother who visited us. I had the doctrine during those visits.
ent places, like hospitals, jails.
previously talked to Mormons, “Do you believe in Jesus?” he
We also practice door-to-door
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh- asked me. “I believe in Jesus,”
evangelism, outdoor evangelis-
day Adventists, and all that, but I said. But I had so many ques-
tic campaigns, and sometimes
I was always chasing them away tions.
medical mission trips. That way
with all kinds of questions. But DF: How has your growth in we can invite people, including
I couldn’t with that brother. He God been since then? those who already have received
never invited me to go to his WA: The church took about the gospel but belong to other
church. He told me that his job four years to teach me the doc- denominations. When they hear
was to teach me. He came to my trine. I wanted to get baptized, our doctrine, they come.
house, and I would say to him, but I had to take doctrine classes,
DF: What do you think is the
“Don’t come anymore! I have no so I was baptized later. My wife
biggest challenge when sharing
time for you, and I can’t change. and I were baptized the same
the gospel?
I can’t make a commitment.” day. We began to see spiritual
WA: Having an open mind
Then he said, “No, I will con- growth in our lives, but we no-
to understand other people.
tinue coming because I see that ticed that the atmosphere at the
Sometimes I think I’m right, and
you are sick.” When I told him I church was not a happy one.
because of that, I have all kinds
wasn’t sick, he showed me Mark In spite of this, I felt we should
of disagreements with other
2:17: “Those who are healthy stay there. I flourished at that

28 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org


people. But we are starting to un-
derstand that the Lord has called
us to be a church in the middle
of a swamp. We have to be very
careful so we can help others out
of it.
DF: What is the greatest need
the Church has to successfully do
the work of evangelism?
WA: I believe a call to aware-
ness, as leaders, to not exclude
people. We need to be more
open, to have a conversation
with other people.
DF: What strengths do the
churches of Zone 2 have that
can benefit others?
WA: One is our knowledge of
Church doctrine. I recently went
to a remote community where a
pastor, who is a simple person,
was participating in a forum in
which he had a dialogue with a
Catholic priest. The pastor, with
the help of the Holy Spirit, was
able to answer all the questions
he was asked.
DF: We have been talking
about the ten-point vision in this
event here in Belize. Have you
shared these ten points with
some other countries in Zone 2?
WA: Very little. I started this
position in June 2018, so we
have been discussing adminis-
trative issues, and we haven’t
paid much attention to these
subjects. In fact, I would dare
to say something about the last
message we heard from Brother
Jason Overman, about a Christ-
centered church. When people
in our region hear about sub-
jects like that, it’s like a bomb.
They will ask, “What is that?”
But when you listen to it with
an open mind and in a different
way, you feel better.
DF: Which one of the ten
points do you think would be the
easiest to share?
WA: Evangelism. We have
been addressing the issue “The
church that we should be.” If
Christ is in me, I can understand
others. We need to accept each
other. And maybe this is going
to be part of the challenge we’ll
face. I do not know when, but
we are going to have to accept
people who were baptized in
other places, to receive them and
embrace them among us and
say, “Well, they believed in Jesus
Christ and were baptized in the
name of Jesus.
DF: Do you see the Church
of God (Seventh Day) as having
potential in this part of Central
America?
WA: Yes, we have been feeling
it, seeing it, and living it. I was
recently in Nicaragua, and the
brethren there, despite the crisis
they have been going through,
have grown compared to past
years. If you go to El Salvador, it’s
the same thing. We know that
the Enemy does not rest, and we
need to be aware that one of the
things hurting the church and our
church family is the ambition for
power.
Foreign Fields
DF: But our greatest power
is our God. May God help us to
continue walking this journey.
Brother Walter, it has been a
blessing spending time with you.
Would you like to say something
else?
WA: Thank you, Brother
Daniel. I also want to tell the
staff of the IMC that I thank God
and those who thought of me
to give me the opportunity to
serve. Also, I believe that all the
personal challenges we face are
very difficult. Sometimes we suf-
fer when we are going through
those times, when unexpected
pain comes our way. It makes
me think of what the Lord said
through Peter: “Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walks
about, seeking whom he may
devour.” Tell our brethren that
in Central America, Mexico, and
Panama they have a family. The
promise Abraham received, that
through him God would make a
great nation, has reached us too.
I believe we are seeing it now.
Blessed be God for it!
September - October 2019 • 29
 Foreign Fields
Obeying Jesus
We want to share with you this good news.
In Texas (Southwest District) we have started a
revival program to reclaim the important task of
evangelizing. At the time of this writing, three
events have already taken place.
The program consists of regional meetings at-
tended by pastors, local evangelism directors, and
all who wish to serve the Lord in this area of the
Church’s mission. The general theme is “Obeying
Jesus.” We have three days of training (Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday), with an average atten-
dance of 400.
Topics include
• Salvation: A Myth or Man’s Greatest Need?
Using our personal testimonies to reach people
for Christ.
• Why Don’t We Evangelize?
• The Ministry of All Believers. Evangelizing
one-on-one and answering the call to serve.
We also hold a revival service on Saturday af-
ternoon.
This program is interesting for several reasons.
First, evangelizing is a fundamental task that the
church must fulfill. All other responsibilities, such
as edification, adoration, communion, and ser-
vice, in some way depend on it. If we don’t evan-
gelize, then we don’t have new believers, and the
church decreases.
Evangelizing was the first thing Christ com-
manded His disciples to do when He left them.
Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it was
necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from
the dead the third day, and that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His name
to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke
24:46, 47).
Second, statistics show that we are not grow-
ing significantly. Although it is true that we have
30 • Bible Advocate® - baonline.org
grown spiritually, due to good biblical understand-
ing, it is also true that in reaching new believers,
we fall short. That is why, in every local church,
members should be aware that evangelizing is
not the responsibility of just a few, but a privilege
of all. The Bible says, “The fruit of the righteous
is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise”
(Proverbs 11:30).
Third, evangelizing is not only a gift but also
a commandment. It has been said that evange-
lizing is not the great suggestion but the Great
Commission. Those who have this gift can bear
much fruit, but if we all obey this as a command-
ment, we will have a lot more fruit to glorify God.
Christ said, “By this My Father is glorified, that
you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples”
(John 15:8). Among other things, bearing fruit,
without a doubt, refers to winning souls.
Lastly, we must recognize that the greatest
need the world has today is the gospel of Christ.
Only the good news can transform a human
being and their environment. Without trying to
demonize or despise anything, we understand
that the great change humanity needs will not
come from science and technology, nor from new
politics or government, nor from armies watching
after the interests of countries, nor human philos-
ophies. The greatest change will happen through
men and women whose hearts are on fire to
share the Word of God. They do so with the same
style as that of the greatest evangelist who ever
existed, Apostle Paul: “For if I
preach the gospel, I have noth-
ing to boast of, for necessity is
laid upon me; yes, woe is me
if I do not preach the gospel!”
(1 Corinthians 9:16).
— Ramón Ruiz

Knowing or Doing?
A merican evangelist D. L. Moody was once
accosted by a woman who told him that
she didn’t like the way he shared the gospel.
D. L. Moody is said to have responded, “I agree
with you. I’m not satisfied with the way I share
the gospel either. How do you do it?” The criti-
cal woman replied, “I don’t share the gospel.”
Moody responded, “I like my way of doing it bet-
ter than your way of not doing it.”
The issue of knowledge without appropri-
ate action deserves our attention. The woman
who criticized Moody did not criticize him for
sharing the gospel but for the way he shared it.
Apparently, she had some degree of knowledge
concerning the gospel and evangelism and con-
sidered them important. Otherwise, why would
she have given any thought to Moody’s methods,
and why would she initiate this conversation with
him? Apparently, the woman had given evange-
lism enough thought to conclude that Moody
wasn’t doing it properly, though she herself
wasn’t sharing the gospel at all! Knowledge with-
out appropriate action.
In a brief teaching video I recently viewed,
Christian psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud ad-
dressed a phenomenon of the human mind.
He pointed out that it is common for people
to confuse thoughts and intentions with actual
actions and achievements. People regularly set
goals, such as losing weight or getting out of
debt or overcoming a bad habit, but they fail to
accomplish their goals. Why? Often because the
act of thinking and planning their goals provides
enough immediate satisfaction that they no lon-
ger feel compelled to actually do the things nec-
essary to achieve their goals.
Last Word
Think with me now about the Great Com­­
mission that Jesus Christ has given to His follow-
ers. Matthew 28:18-20a expresses it this way:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them
to obey everything I have commanded you’”
(NIV).
Look again at the last phrase. It does not say,
“teaching them everything I have commanded
you.” It says, “teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you.” I don’t think that’s
accidental. Knowledge of Christ’s commands
is important! But knowledge is not obedience.
It must compel us to appropriate action. The
Great Commission is not to know the Great
Commission; it is to make disciples of Jesus
Christ!
Throughout 2019, the Church of God (Seventh
Day) in the United States and Canada is focused
on the Great Commission. We will continue to
gradually expand this focus to include the apostle
Paul’s wonderful expression of our role and
responsibility, recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:14 —
6:2. We are ambassadors for Christ! We are min-
isters of reconciliation! We are God’s co-workers!
As we continue to learn and plan, however, may
God help us also to act. Let’s
not fall into the trap of think-
ing that knowing the Great
Commission is actually fulfill-
ing it. Knowing is not doing.
A goal is not an achievement.
Let’s make disciples!
— Loren Stacy
September - October 2019 • 31
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